1996 GMC K1500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 GMC K1500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Visibility633.3%
- Brakes422.2%
- Electrical15.6%
- Engine15.6%
- Airbags15.6%
- Powertrain (other)15.6%
- Steering15.6%
- Transmission15.6%
- Interior & seats15.6%
- Driver assistance15.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 GMC K1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TEND TO WORK PERIODICALLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 06/25/08. *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE HE EXPERIENCED WAS IDENTICAL TO RECALL 03V159000. UPDATED 06/25/08
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN, AND DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATES WIPER MOTOR TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. IF SWITCH IS LEFT ON THE WIPERS WILL COME BACK ON AND THEN GO OFF AGAIN.*SCC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY GIRLFRIEND WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK ON THE ABOVE DATE, WHEN ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND NEARLY RESULTING IN A REAR-END COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT OF HER. ALSO, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, I HAD ANOTHER BRAKE LINE FAIL WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I REPLACED IT, THINKING IT WAS NORMAL, HOWEVER I HAVE NOW DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER GM OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR, I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS IN THE TANK. WHEN I REMOVED THE TANK, THE FUEL LINES WHERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND BROKE, NECESSITATING MY HAVING TO HAVE CUSTOM LINES MADE. I BELIEVE THESE ISSUES ARE SERIOUS HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS, AND GENERAL MOTORS IS DOING NOTHING TO ALLEVIATE THESE POTENTIALLY FATAL FLAWS IN THEIR PRODUCT. I BELIEVE THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE GM TO ISSUE A RECALL AND HAVE THESE ISSUED CORRECTED. HOW PEOPLE NEED TO BE INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE THEY FIX THESE PROBLEMS? *TR
DATE IS APPROXIMATE. WHILE BACKING UP THE TRUCK AT THE STORAGE FACILITY THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING WAS POOR. I WAS ONLY GOING VERY SLOW, SO STOPPING WAS NOT A PROBLEM. AFTER PARKING, I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND BELOW THE TRUCK BED A COUPLE OF FEET AHEAD OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. A FEW PRESSES OF THE BRAKE PEDAL REVEALED A STREAM OF FLUID COMING OUT OF THE STEEL LINE THAT LEADS FROM THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK TO THE REAR WHEELS. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE LINE WAS CORRODED THROUGH AND THEY RAN A NEW LINE. THIS LINE WAS SPLICED INTO THE ORIGINAL NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND ROUTED TO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE RUN OF THE ORIGINAL LINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER FAILURES TO DATE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
BATTERY HOUSING CRACKING CAUSING FLUID/ACID LEAKAGE WHICH DAMAGED AIR BAG SENSOR AND BRAKE LINES. LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY DUE TO DAMAGE ALMOST RESULTED IN VEHICLE COLLISION. MJS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION SLOWS DOWN WITHOUT ENGAGING BRAKES DUE TO DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM CAUSED BY PROBLEM WITHIN THE AIR BAG COIL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION SLOWS DOWN WITHOUT ENGAGING BRAKES DUE TO DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING HAD COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING, COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION SLOWS DOWN WITHOUT ENGAGING BRAKES DUE TO DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION SLOWS DOWN WITHOUT ENGAGING BRAKES DUE TO DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION SLOWS DOWN WITHOUT ENGAGING BRAKES DUE TO DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .